Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to devices and methods for treating spinal conditions, and in particular, to insertion instruments configured for positioning expandable spinal implants within an intervertebral space.
Background of the Disclosure
After a partial or complete discectomy, the normally occupied space between adjacent vertebral bodies may collapse and/or become misaligned due to the absence of all or a part of the intervertebral disc. In these situations, a physician may insert one or more prosthetic spacers between the affected vertebrae to maintain normal disc spacing and/or the normal amount of lordosis in the affected region.
Typically, a prosthetic implant is inserted between the adjacent vertebrae and may include pathways that permit bone growth between the adjacent vertebrae until they are fused together. However, there exists a possibility that conventional prosthetic implants may be dislodged or moved from their desired implantation location due to movement by the patient before sufficient bone growth has occurred.
Additionally, achieving the desired lordosis can be difficult given the limitations of typical prosthetic implants once they are implanted.
To solve these issues, implants capable of providing a desired amount of lordosis, allowing for bone growth between adjacent vertebrae, maintaining the space between adjacent vertebrae during bone ingrowth, and resisting dislocation from its implantation site have been developed. However, effectively implanting such devices can be difficult. Therefore, a need exists for insertion instruments capable of inserting an expandable spinal implant between adjacent vertebrae, manipulating the spinal implant to provide the desired amount of lordosis, and locking the implant in the position providing the desired amount of lordosis.